Authored by: Nick Gee
Return of the Classic Formula:
Finally, after a nine-year hiatus Call of Duty is returning home to the WWII setting. It’s a sweet relief that the days of Call of Duty trying to copy Halo are done with this installment. With the Exo movement system, over the top cosmetics and trendy player emotes being completely thrown out, Call of Duty can finally reclaim its previous mantle as a top tier historic shooter. Fans of the older titles can finally rejoice (myself included) as Call of Duty WWII finally brings back boots on the ground combat. Since Call of Duty’s stint in the Sci – FI era I have constantly found myself returning to older titles as their tone and gameplay felt more in tune with what I believe Call of Duty should be. If you’re like me and have been waiting for the old-school Call of Duty to return, then this is the Call of Duty title for you! Depending on the leveling system I might just try and go for 10th prestige yet again.
Diverse Storytelling:
As a Texas native, when Sledgehammer Games announced that you would be taking on the persona of another Texan I was hooked. Needless to say, Call of Duty’s campaigns have always been a welcomed treat and are a major reason in why I continuously purchase these yearly releases. For most the Call of Duty series, the campaigns have told a dramatic, high action powerful story surrounding the world’s most elite soldiers. (We can just skip Black Ops 3 Campaign and never talk about it again)
However, Sledgehammer Games promise that this campaign will be like no other. Powerful stories from both sides of the conflict will enter twine showing the impactful scars the war leaves on both sides. The first confirmed character for these side stories will be involved with the French Resistance as a freedom fighter fighting against the tyranny of the 3rd Reich. With promises of large campaign set pieces and captivating stories, Call of Duty WWII campaign will be the highlight of my midnight playthrough.
War Breeds Innovation:
Call of Duty WWII isn’t completely riding on nostalgia, as the game incorporates a brand new social hub never before seen in the franchise. SledgeHammer has taken a page from Bungie Studios and their most recent IP Destiny in creating a social hub for Call of Duty players. Personally, Destiny’s social space was very underwhelming to me, however I am optimistic on how this will play out in COD. The ability to walk around from a 3rd person viewpoint hasn’t been revisited since Modern Warfare 2, so I am excited to see how Sledgehammer will incorporate this feature in World War II.
On top of the new social space Call of Duty is reintroducing the old game mode War but with a new twist. Gone is the tug of war style gameplay from Call of Duty World at War, replaced by a series first narrative driven objective game type. Essentially mimicking what Battlefield 1 did with operations but on a smaller scale. It will be very interesting to see Call of Duty’s take on this mode. The fact remains however that game mode War was my favorite game mode in the entire franchise so I am super stoked to see its return. Alongside the standard multiplayer game modes, I am eager to see what other surprises SledgeHammer has in store.
Gruesome New Zombies:
Shall I say more? This newest looks like an absolute thrill. With the recent trailer drop during San Diego Comic Con, SledgeHammer is going for a darker spin on the series staple mode. As an exclusive Treyarch zombie fan, most zombie renditions from other developers since then haven’t held my interest due to the maps being over complicated or not having the same charm as the originals. However, with this new emphasis on horror I plan on giving it another go with long playthroughs trying to survive as long as possible. Like every zombie’s edition it will include a brand new all-star cast of character with a deep story that’s slowly unveiled which each map released. With more information coming down the pipeline I can’t wait to see what gameplay changes SledgeHammer will introduce in this new twist on the Nazi Zombies formula.
Call of Duty WWII brings the together the whole package of a triple A experience with a robust multiplayer, cinematic single player and the fan favorite zombie mode. This is not a title you want to miss out on come this Fall. Remember to pre-order Call of Duty WWII to get early access to the multiplayer beta starting on August 25th for PlayStation 4. Gamers Club Unlocked members also get a 20% discount on every game, so don’t miss out on those discounts!
